draco dormiens atque Jounouchi
by Sarasusamiga
Summary: Does curiosity kill the puppy? “BattleShip at Night” from Jounouchi’s POV. Best if read after BSaN.


Disclaimer: The Yu-Gi-Oh! world shall ne'er be mine, from now until the end of time. I can't lay any claim to the Hogwarts motto from the Harry Potter books either.  
  
Title: draco dormiens atque Jounouchi  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Category: Psychological/Drama. One-shot.  
  
Pairings: JouKai  
  
Summary: Does curiosity kill the puppy? "BattleShip at Night" from Jounouchi's POV.  
  
Author's Note: * . . . * indicates italics.  
  
Warnings: Swearing and shounen-ai.  
  
Spoilers: BattleShip Arc events, but not much.  
  
* * * * *  
  
*draco dormiens atque Jounouchi*  
  
Hell! Shit! Every kind of damn!  
  
Well, with the luck I've been having, it figures.  
  
Figures the cheerleaders would choose *my* room for their official hangout. Figures they'd eat all the food in the fridge. Figures that Honda and Otogi would manage to elbow me out of my own bed as they tossed and turned.  
  
And when I finally go in search of food to fill this gaping hole in my stomach, it figures that the only open door I found would turn out to be a lair of Kaiba's.  
  
Actually, that doesn't make sense at all. You'd think he'd keep his personal space under lock and key.  
  
Oh no, he's got that smirk on his face. Hang in there, Katsuya. Remember your objective: food. Not a fistfight, food.  
  
* * * * *  
  
This quiet seems almost . . . friendly. How's that for creepy?  
  
And I held onto my temper through the whole thing. Of course, none of the gang was here to see me do it.  
  
But--can't complain about this food.  
  
Lessee, was that the last of the udon?  
  
Mmmmm, dumplings! Come to Papa!  
  
...That's *got* to be the best chocolate cake I've ever had.  
  
*Brrrrraaaap*  
  
Shit! Now he's going to make another crack at me!  
  
Hey. What's going on with him? Now that I think about it, haven't heard that typing and clicking for a while...  
  
His hand is flopped over the edge of the chair. Just hanging down, really still. I don't like this.  
  
C'mon, Katsuya. Let's see what's going on.  
  
. . . He's breathing. Thank God. He's just asleep.  
  
Never occurred to me that he *could* sleep. He's sort of like a windup doll most of the time. Strides around, swings arm over and up and back when he draws a card, points a finger at his opponent. And whenever I walk by, it triggers a recording that says "bonkotsu."  
  
But wow, he's really out cold. So motionless. And his face scrunched up in that damn-you-made-me-lose-lifepoints-you're-gonna-pay expression.  
  
Careful, Kaiba, make that face too long and it will freeze that way. Least that's what Anzu says.  
  
. . . He'll probably give me that look for real if I don't clean up after myself. Oh well, dishwashing's a specialty of mine.  
  
There, that's taken care of. Time to skedaddle before he does wake up--  
  
Guess it wouldn't hurt to write a thank-you note. How's that for an improved attitude, Yuugi? I'll have to tell you all about it in the morning. Better write neatly, though, or Kaiba'll just have more ammunition against me.  
  
Sheesh, it's chilly now that I'm not running hot water. He'll probably wake up with a crick in his neck and the start of a cold. Serve the bastard right.  
  
. . . Lemme just get his coat and spread it over him. Then I'll finish the letter.  
  
Don't wake up--don't wake up--don't wake up--phew! Really does sleep like the dead, doesn't he.  
  
His face looks . . . different now.  
  
Younger. Like he really is our age.  
  
Never noticed those eyelashes before.  
  
His lips--they're parted. Like a girl's.  
  
Why the hell is my heart pounding?  
  
Kaiba Seto. You.  
  
*"Kiisama."*  
  
He woke up! Hell! . . .  
  
Nope. Guess he talks in his sleep. Hmmm, should I stay around and listen for something interesting?  
  
Better not. He'd be sure to wake up and ask what I was doing.  
  
Finish the letter and go already.  
  
. . . Just tuck it in the keyboard, here.  
  
Wonder who besides Mokuba has had the chance to see Kaiba this close up while he's sleeping.  
  
My heart's going a mile a minute again.  
  
Bet he won't even notice.  
  
. . . Damn it, what do I think I'm doing? Puckering up to kiss *Kaiba*?! Of course he'd wake up! Then he'd kill me. After skinning me alive.  
  
. . . What was it Ryou was cackling over before class that day? He'd just begun reading one of those hefty novels of his--fantasy or sci-fi or whatever--and there he was, giggling like a baby hyena. So I went over and asked him what, and he just pointed to this crest on the cover page, with words in romaji beneath it.  
  
"Eh?" I said. And he read it out: "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus." And I stare at him like he really has turned into a hyena, so he sobers up just a little and says it means, "Never tickle a sleeping dragon." Ha ha, Ryou. That's real funny.  
  
But when I think about it, it's not bad advice.  
  
So, let's tiptoe away from old dragonmaster here, and just try and forget all this. I mean, kiss Kaiba? It's not like he's Mai.  
  
Not that I've kissed her either. I've got to beat that jerk Malik, to get the chance. I've *got* to.  
  
She'd skin me alive, too. But at least--we're friends, right? Not like Kaiba and me. She'd forgive me; he never would.  
  
Yeah, like I care about *that* . . .  
  
Aw, time to go get some sleep.  
  
. . . 'Night, Kaiba. 


End file.
